


Honesty

by bluestargirl6 (pressdbtwnpages)



Category: The OC RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-10-28
Updated: 2004-10-28
Packaged: 2017-10-04 11:29:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pressdbtwnpages/pseuds/bluestargirl6
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The conclusion of a trilogy begining with <a href="http://incendiarywits.livejournal.com/28408.html">Secret</a> and continuing in <a href="http://incendiarywits.livejournal.com/28429.html#cutid1">Lie</a>.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Honesty

**Author's Note:**

> The conclusion of a trilogy begining with [Secret](http://incendiarywits.livejournal.com/28408.html) and continuing in [Lie](http://incendiarywits.livejournal.com/28429.html#cutid1).

Adam was in the parking lot finishing a phone call to Bret when Rachel and Josh arrived back, still bantering about the show, and Hollywood, and pop-culture, and the thousand other things that they always managed to find to say to each other.

It was odd, because Adam never really had much to say to Josh. Somehow they had never really gotten beyond the superficial, sarcastic, occasional drinking buddies layer to real friendship. At the core of their relationship Josh was the boss, he was older, and cooler, and Adam was always, always off-balance around him. On top of all that, Adam had a sinking feeling that Josh had never quite forgiven him for that first bad audition, or subsequently taking Seth Cohen and making him his own.

Funny how the second Josh and Rachel noticed him their conversation became stilted.

Adam really wasn't paranoid. He was aware, not naïve, and maybe that made him not the most trusting guy in the world. Regardless, something about Josh, the way he was walking next to Rachel, the way he was watching her, seemed off to Adam.

"We have to stop meeting like this," Rachel teased Adam as she and Josh approached.

Adam laughed and couldn't resist kissing his fiancée. His fiancée!

Josh cleared his throat and Adam looked over at him questioningly. He raised his eyebrows, shook his head, and got it. Josh was busted and judging by the guilty expression on his face, he knew it.

Adam suddenly really, really wanted to hit Josh. For falling for someone who was taken. For revealing everything today of all days, and ruining some of the magic it could have held.

A flash of concern crossed Josh's face. "I've gotta go… over… some… script revisions. See you in there?"

"Yeah. See you Josh," Rachel smiled, shifting in Adam's arms. As quickly as it had flooded him, the desire to hit Josh was gone.

Largely because Adam was fairly sure that hitting Josh would be something Rachel would never forgive him for. Also, Adam's not all that into physical violence, and he's more than willing to leave any and all fight scenes to Ben. Adam felt a wave of pity for Josh. Rachel is… amazing. Gorgeous. Funny. Sweet as hell. He can't really blame Josh for caring about her. She's just so damn loveable. And that's the real reason Adam won't hit Josh. Because he's going to be a husband soon, and he wants to be the kind of husband Rachel deserves. It's corny and cliché, but he wants to be a better man for her.

"Hey, Josh, wait a sec," Adam requested. "Can we talk?"

Josh looked puzzled. "Script revisions."

"Right, right. Later today though?" Adam pressed.

"Uh, yeah, I guess. Come find me when you're done for the day," Josh agreed reluctantly.

"Cool. Thanks man."

Josh nodded and hurried away.

"Something's up with him," Rachel noted as the couple watched Josh's retreating figure.

"Yeah. That's kind of what I want to talk to him about."

Rachel eyed him suspiciously. "What do you know?"

"Nothing, yet. I'll tell you when I do?" Adam offered, kissing Rachel's forehead.

"'Kay."

******

Adam poked his head into Josh's office. "Busy?"

Josh riffled through a pile of scripts on his desk before sighing. "Uh… no. Not really. Come on in Adam."

"Thanks." Adam stepped into the room and took a deep breath. "Here's the thing, last night I made Rachel a promise-"

Josh eyed him.

"Okay. Last night I made Rachel a lot of promises, but right now there's one I'm concerned with," Adam paused. "Josh, I promised her that this, us, getting married, was going to be good. You know, no drama, no hurt, just… good. And today I figure out that you're in love with her."

"I'm not, I-"

"Josh. You are," Adam stated. "I'm not mad. I don't blame you. I mean, of all people I get the appeal of Rachel. She's… a goddess."

"I'm sorry man."

"It's… look, I don't want to hurt Rachel. I know you don't either. So lets just sit down and figure this out, okay?" Adam suggested, settling into a chair.

"Brody…" Josh buried his face in his hands. "God, man, this… this isn't even an issue. Seriously. I'm fine with you and Rachel. We're cool. I'll just keep-"

"Keep what Josh? Avoiding us? Getting all weird and spacey? None of us can work like that," Adam insisted.

"Can't you just…" Josh looked at Adam helplessly.

"Do what man? Tell me what you want to do, what you think we should do. I'm open to suggestions."

"I don't know Adam," Josh snapped. "This is why this hasn't come up before. I don't know okay? Just go home to your fiancée, and leave me the hell alone."

Adam nodded, stood. "I'm going to tell her, you know that, right?"

Josh's head jerked up. "Why would you do that? Just keep your mouth shut for once Brody."

"She's going to ask what's up," Adam insisted. "I'm not going to lie to her. Either I can tell her or you can. Entirely up to you."

"I tried. At lunch," Josh told the younger man, "I can't."

"Okay," Adam opened the office door and turned back to Josh. "Are we cool?"

"Yeah. We're… working on it."

******

"Hey," Rachel's voice called out as Adam unlocked his door and stepped inside. Adam glanced around the room and saw no trace of her.

"Hey. Where are you?"

"Couch."

Adam leaned over the back of his sofa and smiled down at Rachel laying there. He kissed her tenderly. Rachel deepened the kiss, drawing him closer and closer until Adam was nearly falling over the sofa.

"Hang on a sec," Adam settled himself on the opposite end of the couch from Rachel. She smiled shyly at him.

"Hi."

Rachel crawled towards him, inching herself tantalizingly up Adam's body until he was laying on the couch kissing her passionately. He pulled her tighter to him, and Rachel curled up on his chest, peppering Adam's face and neck with kisses. Adam sought her lips with his own and Rachel ran a hand through his hair.

"I… love… you… so… much," Rachel murmured between kisses. She took Adam's hand in her own and toyed with it, running her fingers over the creases in his palm, playing with his knuckles, admiring the planes of his hands. "I didn't really get to say anything last night, except yes, and I need you to know how important you are to me."

"I know Rachel, I know," Adam assured her, guiltily thinking of Josh.

"Let me just-"

"Rach? Honey? I know you love me, and I love you too, so much, but there's something you need to know before you say anything else, okay?" Adam told her gently.

"Oh my God. It's you and Ben isn't it? I always… there was always something about you two-"

"Rachel? What are you talking about?"

"I, um, nothing? What is it? What were you going to say?" Rachel curled her fingers tighter around Adam's.

"So I met with Josh this afternoon, and, he, uh, he pretty much told me he is in love with you Rachel."

"What?" Her eyes sought his frantically. "I had no idea. I swear Adam, I didn't know. He never, we never-"

"Ssh, ssh, baby," Adam stroked her hair with his free hand. "I know. It's okay, honestly. That's just why Josh has been weird lately. Today especially."

"Oh my God. What's going to happen Adam? To Josh? To being friends? To the show?" Rachel wondered.

"We're just going to keep on… keeping on. Everything will be okay," Adam said confidently, surprised to find that he believed it.

"How do you know?"

"Because I love you. Because I can't blame Josh for wanting to be around you. You're the most amazing," Adam kissed Rachel's neck, "remarkable, miraculous thing that has ever happened to me. There is nothing in this world that could possibly come between us."

"Adam I-" Rachel said hesitantly.

"The hard part is over baby. I know I love you. I know I love you more than anyone else in the world possibly could. So no matter what comes next, everything is going to be okay. I promise," Adam vowed, nose to nose with his fiancée.

Rachel closed her eyes. "You…" she shook her head and laughed softly. "No matter what I say, after that it's going to be inadequate."

"No. Nothing about you is remotely inadequate," Adam told her sincerely.

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Just shut up and kiss me."

So he obliged.


End file.
